One week out (taking it next Thurs)--advice!

[str8flexed]

I feel pretty comfortable. However, I have 2 reservations:

1) I have not take a NBME exam recently (just one 2 months ago)
2) I have 50% UWorld yet (but finished Kaplan first)

What should I do now? I'm thinking I should take a NBME right now, even though there is only a week left.

Given that I cannot check answers for NBME questions, I almost feel like it would be a waste. Maybe if I took 300-400 UWorld questions and simulated the exam, that would be more beneficial? Plus it's spending $40 additional bucks when I still have UWorld left?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Whats_up_doc]

I feel pretty comfortable. However, I have 2 reservations:

1) I have not take a NBME exam recently (just one 2 months ago)
2) I have 50% UWorld yet (but finished Kaplan first)

What should I do now? I'm thinking I should take a NBME right now, even though there is only a week left.

Given that I cannot check answers for NBME questions, I almost feel like it would be a waste. Maybe if I took 300-400 UWorld questions and simulated the exam, that would be more beneficial? Plus it's spending $40 additional bucks when I still have UWorld left?

I am taking NBME 6 and Free 150 tomorrow. My exam is next Friday. There is a thread about NBME 6 being a good predictor of your score. 50% left of U World.. well.. I am not sure what to tell you. It depends which subjects you feel weak on... I believe last week should be destined to cram FA topics, IMHO. Maybe people who already took it can give you more insight. Good Luck!

 

[str8flexed]

I am taking NBME 6 and Free 150 tomorrow. My exam is next Friday. There is a thread about NBME 6 being a good predictor of your score. 50% left of U World.. well.. I am not sure what to tell you. It depends which subjects you feel weak on... I believe last week should be destined to cram FA topics, IMHO. Maybe people who already took it can give you more insight. Good Luck!

The thing is, I finished Kaplan Qbank, but now I realize World is much better (it tells you mechanisms and WHY). Therefore, it's not 100% essential I finish, but I would like to. Probably should've done it in reverse order.

 

[Whats_up_doc]

The thing is, I finished Kaplan Qbank, but now I realize World is much better (it tells you mechanisms and WHY). Therefore, it's not 100% essential I finish, but I would like to. Probably should've done it in reverse order.

Yes. People say Uworld is better for their explanations and how it relates to the real deal. I have seen people finish 60 and 75% of Uworld and still do well. If you have nothing else to cover, I say review FA and 2 or 3 blocks per day( no time to annotate, just understand explanations).

 

[SimonSez]

I feel pretty comfortable. However, I have 2 reservations:

1) I have not take a NBME exam recently (just one 2 months ago)
2) I have 50% UWorld yet (but finished Kaplan first)

What should I do now? I'm thinking I should take a NBME right now, even though there is only a week left.

Given that I cannot check answers for NBME questions, I almost feel like it would be a waste. Maybe if I took 300-400 UWorld questions and simulated the exam, that would be more beneficial? Plus it's spending $40 additional bucks when I still have UWorld left?

If you are consistently getting in the 70's (or at least high 60's) in UWorld then I would think you're pretty safe. If not I would suggest postponing for 2 weeks and finishing UWorld (or as much as possible).

I still think it might be worthwhile to do another NBME to know exactly where you stand. There is a new NBME form 6 with "expanded feedback" where "participants may view the text of the items they answered incorrectly". The stuff in quotes is from the NBME website. This new form is going to cost you 60 bucks though.

 

[rahulb]

nbme4 predicted my exact score

 

[doogoshly]

a week out, taking an nbme isn't a bad idea. i took nbme6 a week out when i freaked out a little. but for the rest of the week just do uworld.

 

[str8flexed]

I'm taking it Aug 3 now .. pushed back another selective.

 

[doogoshly]

why'd you push it back? i don't like the idea of people continually pushing it back. you can only pack so much in your brain before burnout sets in and you decline in mental performance.

 

[Whats_up_doc]

why'd you push it back? i don't like the idea of people continually pushing it back. you can only pack so much in your brain before burnout sets in and you decline in mental performance.

I know that it is not reccomended for people in general to push back the exam. Maybe people have their reasons for that, doogoshly and we should respect it. After all, it's their exam and their choice. If it were by me, I wish I could have taken it earlier because of what you said (not losing the heat of the moment) but in the end, everybody is different.

 

[str8flexed]

I'm glad I pushed it back. Only now am I getting 70-80% of UWorld right with every block. Every question is a familiar scenario now, instead of a "what the..I have no idea." With some drugs and stuff like lipids that I never really learned in the first place, I need lots of repetition and more time helps with long term memory, which is far superior to cramming.

 

[SimonSez]

I'm glad I pushed it back. Only now am I getting 70-80% of UWorld right with every block. Every question is a familiar scenario now, instead of a "what the..I have no idea." With some drugs and stuff like lipids that I never really learned in the first place, I need lots of repetition and more time helps with long term memory, which is far superior to cramming.

It sounds as though you are in peak form (>70% on UWorld is right where you want to be). I'm sure you will get an excellent score on the real deal. Good luck!